DISTRACTED
by MadameMorganLeFay
Summary: Merlin needs to stop Morgana from poisoning a visiting envoy to Camelot. He also needs to get any memories of their past love out of his mind. This is my second fic that I am posting here. Hopefully Mergana fans will like it, if not please take some time out to tell me what I could do better. Enjoy. And I don't own Merlin.


**DISTRACTED**

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Distracted  
Het (Canon AU)  
Merlin/Morgana, Agravaine, Arthur (mentioned)  
Rating/Warnings: T  
Summary: Merlin must focus on retrieving the potion that is wreaking havoc at Camelot, but he finds he still cannot get Morgana out of his mind.

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Merlin crept into the hovel uncertainly. True, he had waited patiently until he had seen Morgana disappear on her horse, and that had meant that he did not need to use that uncomfortable ageing potion again, but he knew the wily ways of his nemesis; she seemed to have eyes everywhere, not to mention an exceedingly well-placed traitor in Camelot.

All he needed to do was just find the bottle that she was using to poison an ambassador of the royal envoy of the southern land of Grigun (and so provoke certain war), and all his problems would be solved. (For now).

Where would Morgana store such a potion? Obviously, close to where she could keep it within easy reach- for surely, Agravaine must have frequent need of the bottle? Arthur's Uncle had been adding select dosages of arsenic to Kadael's food since his arrival in Camelot last week- not enough to cause instant death, or even significant harm, but definitely a drop size that had mysteriously confined Kadael to his bed for reasons that the Court Physician could not explain. No matter how much the situation was being kept under wraps for the sake of Arthur's reputation, courtiers had started to notice the sudden disappearances of the visitor, his suspicion of the food being prepared for him and his generally grave air. A little investigation undertaken by the warlock and his good friend Guinevere had revealed that Lord Agravaine was behind the affair, surely looking to cause trouble for Camelot, break down the secure wall of peace that Arthur had managed to build.

Merlin had advised that Guinevere be the one to prepare Kadael's food, countermanding Agravaine's authority, and for a while, the noble had begun to recover from the slow poisoning. That was until the ever-crafty uncle began to cast doubt on the serving girl's intergrity by surmising about her being so keen to serve Kadael, who, paranoid as he was, grew instantly suspicious and refused to accept food from her anymore.

The only solution was to prevent Agravaine from renewing the dosgae of poison altogether before Camelot had a murder on her hands.

Merlin sauntered slowly between the rickety shelves, often pausing to admire certain jars and vials, scraping inquisitive fingers across their dusty surfaces before hastily reminding himself of why he had come. He nearly snagged his breeches on a table, and looking down to correct himself, his hands scraped across Morgana's comb.

And that brought back the images of times gone past:

**_"My Lady?"_**

**_"Yes, Merlin?" Morgana left off from combing her flowing tresses and smiled in a way that dazzled the young lad idling awkwardly in her doorway._**

**_"You sent for me?" _**

**_"I would like you to spend some time with me, like you did last night. It helped me to sleep a little better."_**

**_"O-Oh!" Merlin flushed briefly before regaining his wits and stepping inside the candle-lit room cautiously. "I-I am glad, my Lady."_**

**_"You can call me Morgana," she assured him, beckoning him closer. "You don't have to be so formal; you never are with Arthur."_**

**_"That is because he does not command enough respect."_**

**_It was Morgana's turn to blush. "You are very sweet."_**

**_Neither one of them knew precisely what to say at that moment, and resorted to simply blushing their way through the sticky pause until someone plucked up enough courage to break the silence._**

**_"Shall we...pretend this isn't awkward?" Merlin asked, smiling slightly a hint of his witty self taking a peep. He walked over to the table, picking up her comb, and running it through her locks absent-mindedly. Morgana reached out and took it from him, after he had snagged the thing on a tangle._**

**_"Not very good with ladies hair, are you, Merlin?"_**

**_"No."_**

**_"Is that why yours looks like you were dragged-"_**

**_"-out of a bush backwards, yes."_**

**_They both chuckled._**

**_"Come," Morgana proposed, standing up, and pushing him down into the chair. "I'll teach you how to take care of your hair." Merlin looked at them in the mirror; him sitting, Morgana standing smiling shyly at his reflection now and then as her soft hands and comb wove themsleves expertly through his raven locks slowly and deliberately...he felt his eyes close a little..._**

Merlin quickly blinked back tears and moved away from the source of provocation- he NEEDED to find the poison, and find it fast. Any...reminders of whatever it was between him and Morgana... No! He couldn't think, not now.

There was another stack of ledges in a darkened corner dominated by sticky, stringy spiders webs, some with their ghastly occupants presiding over their respective empires in a casually threatening manner. His hands ran through thick dust motes, and scraped jars, pots, vials...until his sharp eyes spotted one bottle that was unusually cleaner than all the others on such a dusty shelf, and he knew that he had found what he needed.

He was just reaching out to pluck it from its place when he felt the tip of a dagger pierce his skin.

"Arthur wouldn't approve of his servant stealing, now, would he?"

It was Agravaine- why hadn't he thought of this possibility? He turned slowly to see a man clad in dark leather, greasy-haired and smug, holding a sword to his neck and smiling maliciously.

"He would if I was stealing from a traitor," Merlin hissed, making no move to return his find, or try to escape. "Especially if it was for the good of the Kingdom. Yes, I know your plan, Agravaine. You may be able to fool Arthur, but you cannot fool me."

Agravaine threw back his head and laughed. "Oh, you are very brave, my friend- very brave. Oh that these were not going to be the last words you ever spoke!" He laughed loudly again, during which time the devious uncle of Arthur Pendragon failed to see a heavy jar poised in mid-air, summoned by Merlin's magic... After a soft clunk, Agravaine's eyes closed and he sank to the ground in one fluid movement, for that same jar had deprived him of consciousness.

Merlin stepped over Agravaine's prone form and dragged it into a corner. Now he could leave the hovel, unharmed. Surely Morgana must be busy with other nefarious activities to come back home- it was still the afternoon. Anyway, let him leave before any more trouble turned up; he didn't know how many spies she might have in this place, not to mention where they might be hiding. On the way to the lowly door, the second temptation presented itself; one of Morgana's dresses, hung casually over a chair, and once again, it cast his mind back:

_**"I think I've cut myself...on my back, Merlin- could you help me clean the wound?"**_

_**Merlin blushed and twiddled his thumbs. "My Lady, I do not think that you should be asking a man to do such a job-"**_

_**"Oh, are you another one of those types of men?" she cut in angrily. "You assume that because I am a woman, I would be tempted by male company? No, you say? Really. I can't ask you to help me? I can? Then why did you-"**_

_**She stopped as Merlin gently began to undo the buttons at the back of her gown, sitting down next to her, brushing her hair aside to he could work quicker, trying to hold his breath in and keep its rhythm regular. It wouldn't help for Morgana to see how he had dreamt about such a moment ever since he had arrived in Camelot (although in different circumstances), how he longed to do more than simply clean up her wound, how he wanted her to do the same to him.**_

_**The cut was nasty and rather deep in some areas. Merlin worked quickly and effectively, first with an onion procured from Gaius' chambers that stung particularly fiercely and made her cry out.**_

_**"Sorry- it's so that it doesn't get infected...sorry," he repeated, as she gasped again.**_

_**He removed the offending foodstuff and replaced it with a scented cloth, rubbing it against her back gently, almost reverently, taking pleasure in seeing her muscles relax, and her eyes half closed.**_

_**"Does that feel better?"**_

_**"Yes. You have a way with your hands, don't you?"**_

_**Merlin laughed nervously. "I-I don't know what you mean."**_

_**Morgana twisted round at looked at him, with a soft, adoring expression in her eyes. "I...just feel calm when I am with you... I think I might go to bed, now."**_

_**"Yeah, probably best," he rasped, unsure of what to make of the warmth that had materialised between them, how to explain why her fingers were intertwined with his, why his lips were pressed to her hair as she leant onto his shoulder for support. **_

_**"Undo the rest of my dress, would you, my love?"**_

_**"You- You're saying..."**_

_**Morgana rolled her eyes. "You're such a prude," she snipped. "I'll do it myself, if you-"**_

_**"No, no, I'll do it if you want..."**_

Merlin's vision blurred and he sniffed quickly, tucking the bottle under his arm, and stepping away from the dress- and memory. He would not think...would not think at all. He had to go, and bring the bottle to Arthur, stop the trouble in the kingdom...

He stepped over some hastily piled firewood, ignoring the occasional drip of tears onto the floor, forcing his mind to concentrate and complete his noble task. Concentrate...complete noble task. Concentrate...complete noble task...Merlin's feet stood still when his eyes switched up from the ground and into those of...Morgana Pendragon.

Morgana.

Glaring at him with crazed hatred, her lips parted in fury as she saw not only who the impostor was, but what he was holding.

"Give it to me," she hissed, holding out her arm in a particularly menacing pose.

"No," Merlin replied, moving it out of her reach.

The High Priestess laughed as Agravaine had. "Oh, _Merlin_! So noble, so brave, so loyal. That's the wrong answer, my love!" She took a leisurely step towards him, watching him flinch and enjoying his fear. She loved to have the upper hand over her enemies, loved to see them cower beneath her. And Merlin, this meddling, irritating waste of space would do the very same for her. Even if a random and curious thought crossed her mind, asking why he seemed to have been crying. Since when was she interested in his feelings, she snapped back at it viciously. With a newly cleared expression, she meandered towards him, arm still outstretched. "I'm going to ask you again..._give it to me_."

Merlin swallowed, adrenalin surging through his body as he considered whether to fight or flee this terrible Muse. Arthur's face and the beautiful kingdom appeared in his mind's eye... he could not let them down, allow Morgana to succeed, especially not Arthur. He would stand his ground. "I told you- no," he repeated in a hoarse voice. "I won't let you get away with this."

Morgana's smile turned into a frightening glower and she raised her hand quickly, forming a curve with it, closing the distance between her fingers and thumb gradually... Merlin started to wheeze and grab his throat, choking, choking, his vision starting to blur...blur...blur... He would suffocate! He would die, and she would win... She was going to hurt Arthur! Do something! DO SOMETHING!

His eyes flashed briefly, and the spell rebounded onto Morgana who gave a cry of pain and was flung against the wall behind her door.

"What happened?" Merlin asked mockingly, now fully recovered, seeing that Morgana was equally confused, and examining her hands frantically. "You won't want to be trying that again, Morgana. Seems like things don't quite work on me..." He stepped over to her, observing her confusion momentarily. "I'll just be leaving with this, then..."

The High Priestess stood slowly, visibly seriously disorientated, and pale.

"You go and save your heart's desire, Arthur, like a subservient little puppy, Mer-lin," she hissed contemptuously, her voice quivering with anger at his victory and her weakened state, "But you have crossed me one too many times; you are a marked man. A marked man, Merlin. You had better be careful of where you walk." She was close to fainting, and Merlin close to tears again.

He put down the bottle when her eyes closed, and picking her up from where she was slumped on a table, he brought her over to her bed near the fireplace, unloading her carefully...and caressed her laced sleeves without thinking...

**_"What do you think, Merlin?" Morgana twirled around in an indigo robe slashed with silver thread at the waist and black lace sleeves, revelling in Merlin's stupefied expression._**

_**"Beautiful," he murmured, eyes lost.**_

_**Morgana stopped spinning and preening abruptly, torn between a smile and surprise. "You-you mean it?"**_

_**Merlin put the jug down and considered. "Do you think I mean it?"**_

_**"Why must you always be so circumspect?" Morgana exclaimed in annoyance, disappointed that he wouldn't be straight with her.**_

_**"Because it would be inappropriate to say anything else," he replied quietly. "But I think I am going to break that rule..." He walked over to her, and pressed his lips to hers most urgently for a minute, maybe more- he didn't know, and he didn't care...**_

Merlin couldn't stop the crying now, even though Morgana was awake and regarding him in confusion.

"You loved me once," he reminded her in a broken voice, before brushing his mouth across her cheekbones and leaving.

Morgana sat up, eyes also clouded with tears after the door had been shut.

"I still do," she whispered.


End file.
